Ahead of Council polls, Maharashtra Congress chief seeks better coordination among allies
Mumbai, Apr 24 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Friday called for a clear and collective decision on seat-sharing among allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the broader INDIA bloc for coming legislative council and Rajya Sabha elections in the state.
In view of the current political arithmetic, cooperation among allies is essential, he told reporters.
Sapkal met MVA ally and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday ahead of the next month's legislative council elections where the opposition coalition can win at least one seat. Congress sources said the party will support only Thackeray if he chooses to seek re-election to the upper house of the state legislature.
Referring to the recent Rajya Sabha election where NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar was reelected, Sapkal said on Friday that the Congress had proposed that the legislative council seat remain with Thackeray while the Rajya Sabha seat be allotted to the Congress, given its leadership role at the national level.
But the proposal was not adequately discussed within Maharashtra and the final decision was taken at the national level by INDIA bloc leaders Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge shortly before the deadline, he said. "The seat was given to our ally which comes at number three which we accepted wholeheartedly," he said, referring to the Pawar-led party.
The Congress accepted that decision in good faith, Sapkal said, adding had the party contested the Rajya Sabha election then, the present situation might have been different, easing the path for the Shiv Sena (UBT) to send its representative to the council.
Emphasising the need for future coordination, Sapkal pointed out that Rajya Sabha and legislative council elections are due over the next two years. "There is a need for a structured discussion and a collective decision on seat-sharing among allies," he said.
On Thursday, NCP (SP) urged Uddhav Thackeray to contest the opposition's lone winnable seat in the council. Following his meeting with the Sena (UBT) chief, Sapkal had said that Thackeray is the face of the MVA and people will be happy if he contests the council polls, but the three MVA constituents will take a decision by holding talks. PTI MR KRK
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